DELHI , February 27, 2024:In a recent development, sources from the Ministry of Home Affairs have revealed plans to notify the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019 (CAA) before the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, raising expectations for its imminent enforcement. The CAA aims to streamline the processing of Indian citizenship applications from persecuted minorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
Addressing a business summit earlier this month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be implemented before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Seeking to dispel any concerns, Minister Shah emphasized that the CAA is the law of the land and assured that the notification will be made public soon, clarifying that the act will not strip anyone of their citizenship.
“I want to make it clear, CAA will not take away anyone’s citizenship…our Muslim brothers need not have to worry as they have been instigated as there is no provision in the CAA to take away anyone’s citizenship,” stated Union Minister Amit Shah during a media interaction.
The Citizenship Amendment Act, introduced by the Narendra Modi government, is specifically designed to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014. This includes Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians. The act received parliamentary approval in December 2019 and subsequently obtained presidential assent.
Despite being passed over two years ago, the implementation of the CAA has faced delays, triggering protests across various parts of India. However, on February 10, Amit Shah reiterated the government’s commitment to enforcing the act, emphasizing its intent to provide citizenship rather than revoke it.
As the Ministry of Home Affairs prepares to notify the rules for the CAA, citizens are anticipating clarity on the application process for persecuted minorities seeking Indian citizenship. The move comes amid the backdrop of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, adding a significant dimension to the ongoing discourse surrounding the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
